Acknowledged
by HeartBound101
Summary: Hinata summons up the courage to ask Naruto to spar with her. this is her way of getting him to fall in love with her. will it work? NaruHina. i suck at summaries, don't be discouraged by size!
1. Hinata

Acknowledged

Chapter one

I hope you guys like it! I'm new to fanfiction so don't go to hard on me! Please review if you like it! Constructive criticism is allowed, but nothing mean!

Disclaimer: I dont own Naruto!

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Hinata woke to the sound of chirping birds, and sunlight seeping in through her half opened curtains. The sun's rays fell right across her closed eyes, and she groaned, rolling over for more sleep. That was when she remembered.

Bolting out of bed she headed straight to the shower, grabbing her towel on the way there. As the invitingly warm water spilled down her shoulders, she couldn't get her mind off of that one, blonde, blue eyes boy she adored so much.

Today was the day. The day he would acknowledge her as a strong kunoichi. She believed the only way to his heart was to get him to notice her, first. That's exactly what she planned on doing.

How? A sparring match.

Finally, after all those years, she'd managed to ask him just that without stuttering once. Of course, the usual cherry blush bloomed across her cheeks, but never the less, she was proud of herself for managing.

Leaving the door to her room ajar, she gracefully crossed the room to her dresser putting on a fresh pair of clothes. She didn't care that she was half naked and that the door was wide open – no one would see her. She lived alone in this small, but cosy apartment. She'd moved in not months ago, just desperate to leave the Hyuuga complex.

She no longer had that weight on her shoulders, and that voice in her head that screamed 'If you want to be a good heir, you have to train!' or 'You're a horrible excuse for a shinobi.' Of course her father's words had a big impact on her since she was a young girl. She felt that she would never be a good enough shinobi, what with the constant reminders.

On that fateful day, she had blown up in his face. The day she became a part of ANBU was the best day of her eighteen years. She was the second person in the Rookie Nine to be promoted to ANBU, Naruto being the first. She'd rushed home to tell her father the news, hoping to make him proud of her, and maybe even see a small smile play on his lips. The last time she'd seen him smile was at the age of five. So, she was very disappointed when he'd sneered at her.

"You? ANBU? Lair. You could never be ANBU material – you're a weakling. The hokage must be losing it." Then he laughed a loud, harsh, cold laugh, and that was when it happened.

From her happy mood, he had taken it, and turned it into disbelief, then disappointment, and finally, anger. Balling a fist, hinata pushed chakra through her hand and punched him with all the strength she had. She connected with his jaw and sent him flying across the room, crashing against a wall and falling to the floor with a thud.

He lay there unmoving, as she turned away, and, without a glance back declared, "I'm leaving. Make hanabi the heir, because I won't stand for it." The next day, she had packed her bags and ran out the door.

So there she was, very happy in her apartment. Well, almost happy. She still needed Naruto.


	2. Naruto

Acnowledged Chapter Two

Dislaimer: Naruto does not belong to me!

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Naruto yawned loudly and kicked off his covers awkwardly, rolling of the bed and landing on the soft carpeted floor next to the foot of his bed. He lay there a moment and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, before yawning loudly and picking himself up.

He couldn't afford to sleep in today.

He stumbled sleepily to his washroom, and splashed a couple of palmfuls of cold water in his eyes. Feeling refreshed, he headed to his small kitchen grabbed a cup of instant ramen, and threw it into the microwave. As the cup rotated in the microwave, Naruto picked out his clothing. Full ANBU armour, over a black shirt and pants with an orange stripe running down the sides. As ANBU it was recommended that you wear black clothing, but he just couldn't give up orange.

Sighing, he checked the clock hung on the wall. 8:30am. He never woke this early, unless he wanted a good days training or had a mission. Today, the reason was neither. Today, he had a sparring match.

With Hinata.

He grabbed his now warm ramen from the microwave and dug in. Something told him he would need his strength today, after seeing hinata fight with kiba a couple of days ago. She hit kiba in the face, a blow that sent him flying in the air ten feet and colliding with a tree long after.

"Oh Kiba! I'm sorry!" she had said, running over to help him up. Kiba groaned, and scrunched up his face as hinata neared, but naruto could see from his spot in a tree that he was faking the pain. He could see a smile twitch on his lips, right before he surprised her by swinging a leg out and throwing some kunai at her face.

Hinata jumped back from his swinging foot and threw some kunai, which intercepted his. In the midst of it all, there was also a small round sphere with the kunai she threw. Naruto immediately recognized it as a bomb, and his eyes widened. _What!? Does she want to kill him? I never thought Hinata would do such a thing._ Naruto kept his eyes on the bomb.

It flew over Kiba's head, and exploded farther back. Far away so as not to hurt him, but close enough to scare the shit out of him. Naruto smiled as kiba let out a ghastly cry and sprung to his feet, eyes wide. Hinata laughed loudly. Naruto liked the sound of her laugh. It was soft, and sweet. Calming.

"What the hell was that for!?" Kiba yelled, checking his backside for any burns. This made hinata laugh even more.

"Did you really think i wanted to kill you, kiba?" hinata questioned, a sly smile on her angelic face. "No- that's payback for yesterday." She declared. "If you ever..."

Kiba threw up his hands and motioned for peace. "Alright, alright. I won't do it again. Anything else you want?"

"yeah." Hinata replied the sly smile on her face getting bigger. "That was only part of it!" she yelled, tackling him in a light chokehold and knuckling his head hard. Noogie! Kiba yelled in surprise, flailing his hands around wildly. Naruto was surprised when hinata did this. She never acted like this around him. When did she get so courageous? He'd have to ask her about that.

"Ok! Ok! I'm sorry! It won't happen again!" Kiba apologized. Hinata let go, and that was the last Naruto saw before the two went their own way home, as it was getting late. The next day, Naruto met hinata at the ramen stand, where she'd asked him to spar. He had agreed enthusiastically, and then left to get a good night's sleep.

Thats why he found himself up bright and earl, locking the door behind him and speeding off for the training area.

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Hope you like it so far! Please review if you liked, or have any suggestions. constructive criticism is allowed, but nothing mean! thanks!


	3. The Battle

Acknowledged Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Naruto!

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Hinata had expected Naruto to be there before her. All he ever did was train. It was the only thing on his mind 24-7. That's why Hinata was suspicious. He had been so enthusiastic about it when she'd asked, so she found it awkward, that he wasn't here.

Naruto hid in the tree, crouched on one thick branch, kunai in hand. The Blondie watched Hinata curiously, waiting for the right time to attack. _This won't be too hard,_ he thought. He watched the raven haired female closely, as she unsheathed her ANBU sword slowly, and touched the tip of its blade to the dirt beneath her feet. She closed her eyes momentarily, and when she opened them, they weren't the same.

A light smile played on her lips as she swung her sword through the air. Her eyes skimmed around the area, searching for the blonde haired boy. There he was. He watched her, with determined eyes, through the thick mass of branches and leaves, perched on a thick branch of the tree. Of course, a tree couldn't hide him from her eyes.

Naruto pulled out a kunai. She was staring in his direction. Had she seen him? Or was she still looking? _Time to go!_ Naruto thought with a grin. He jumped down from the tree, with a fearsome cry of "Believe it!" the all-time prankster flung his kunai at the raven haired girl, unsheathing his sword in the process.

Hinata brought up her own just in time, to meet his directly over her head. She stumbled back at the sudden strength of his blow, making her skid back roughly. After a tough battle of strengths, each pushing against the others blade, Hinata jumped back, swords parting with a _shing_.

Naruto followed her, and swung his katana as her feet touched the ground. Hinata blocked it with her own, going in for a quick counter attack. She jabbed at his stomach, but that was easily side-stepped. A kunai whizzed past her ear, ruffling the raven- coloured hairs on her head.

Hinata spun on her heel, looping a finger through the kunai that nearly pierced her ear, and forcefully swung it back at its owner, accompanied with a few of her own projectiles.

He dodged them all, with a grin. "Not bad," he complimented, charging her head on. Instantly, hinata blushed cherry red as soon as the words left his lips. This did not distract her from the battle though.

Naruto had been aiming for a quick jab, but at the last moment, changed his mind and twirled his sword around hers, flicking it from her hand. The katana embedded itself deep in the dirt covered ground. Hinata, momentarily confused, was left vulnerable. The young lady grimaced at the pain, throbbing around her wrist. Stupidly, she had tried to hold on to her sword, and only managed to twist her wrist.

No matter. It would put her in a disadvantage, but she would have to make do without it. Besides, she still had her other hand.

Naruto took his chance, and swung his sword, running it through her chest. Hinata's breathing hitched, and she froze.

And then, Naruto was blinded. Hinata burst into a puff of smoke, leaving behind a log, in which Naruto's sword was placed in. He held up his sword and kicked the piece of wood off. When he turned back to continue fighting, Hinata was gone. He proceeded to look around, but got very little chance, when, not seconds later, Hinata emerged behind him.

Usually, the heiress would faint if she got anywhere near Naruto, but now, she felt a sudden burst of bravery. She grabbed his chin, and pulled it up roughly, exposing his neck. Her other hand held a sword, which was placed against his Adams apple. Hinata could feel his jaw twitching under her fingers.

_She has soft hands._ Thought Naruto.

"Ready to die?" she asked teasingly. What was going on? Where had she found this courage? She should have fainted by now!

"Go ahead," Naruto said, voice deep and throaty. Too bad she couldn't see the miscevious smile on his face.

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	4. The Battle Part II

Acknowledged

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. you should know that by now.

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Hinata pulled back, katana lowered. "I can't do it." She declared softly.

Naruto was silent. "That..." he began, "Was a BIG mistake!" he whipped around, katana unsheathed. As he lunged forward, he was very aware of another blade, heading straight for his heart. So, Hinata had been bluffing? This surprised the blond haired man. This was a side of Hinata he had never seen before- but he was certainly liking it. He found himself, smiling, entertained.

Hinata's blade hit its target, as Naruto met his. Her heart. Both figures froze, and grinned, eyeing each other through the bangs that partially covered their eyes.

They both disappeared in a poof of smoke. In their places, where two logs.

Hinata could see Naruto crouched in a tree again, searching around calmly. Hinata smiled. Silently, she sent down another clone, into the middle of the field. It emerged from behind a tree, close to where Naruto was crouched.

She watched as Naruto jumped, a kunai in his hand, as he dropped down behind Hinata's clone. The real Hinata reached into her pouch and brought out five kunai- one for each finger. She flung them at Naruto. He disappeared in billowing smoke.

There was a breath-taking pain in her back, as Hinata flew through the air, frozen in shock. She spun around and looked back. There was the real blond haired god (at least to her), sitting in the tree she had just been kicked out of. He stood as she fell, katana in hand. numbly, she watched as he jumped, a feral grin on his lips. He was directly over her now, katana aimed at her chest. This time, she wasn't a clone.

The hyuuga brought out her hands, clasping them around the sharp, shiny blade that was aimed at her. She pushed against it, pushing it back towards it's owner. Naruto growled. "Why won't you give up?" he muttered under his breath.

Hinata still heard it. She grunted as the blade pierced her skin. "Because," she began, stopping abruptly when the breathe was knocked out of her as she collided with the ground. The blade quivered in her hands, getting closer as she lost concentration. "I don't give up!" she exclaimed with a burst of strength. Naruto skidded back on his heels, as Hinata rolled up onto her feet.

Naruto's eyes slit, and a sly grin touched his lips. Hinata thought he resembled a fox. ( how ironic!) "I like that," he said quietly. "But that's not gonna stop me from winning!"

Now, things had begun to become serious. The two ninja where silent, as they clashed blades, fixed their footwork, blocking, counter-attacking, dodging the others attacks.

Hinata was beginning to slow, her reflexes clumsy. She managed to get rid of Naruto's sword, as she was knocked backwards into the dirt. With a groan, she shakily stood back up, and eyed Naruto.

Screw the blades. Hinata threw hers away, as Naruto charged, fists pulled back. She blocked his attacks with the gentle fists style, weakly. She balled a fist and sent a chakra-filled punch to his jaw, knocking him back. She didn't stop there. Jab-jab, uppercut, roundhouse kick...

Naruto couldn't block any of her attacks, for his arms hung uselessly at his side. The fox container flew through the air and tumbled to the ground. It took him a while to get back up, using only his feet. He was breathing hard, bangs sticking to his forehead.

The sun was beginning to set in the distance.

Hinata clutched her stomach and took deep breathes, that burned her throat. Her lids felt heavy, and everything was spinning. Still, persistant as ever, she approached Naruto clumsily.

He sighed. _When will she stop?_ He thought.

Hinata weakly punched him in the chest, before fatigue took over. The worn girl fell to the ground, eyes closed. The last thing she felt before passing out? A pair of big, muscular arms wrapping around her waist, catching her before she hit the dirt.

Naruto grinned weakly, looking at her peaceful face, shining in the falling sun, which soon disappeared behind the mountain range, replaced by the full moon. He placed her gently on the ground and disappeared in the trees to grab all of their weapons. He sheathes Hinata's blade, and put all of her kunai back into the pouch around her thigh, after he had done the same with his own.

He sat next to her, taking deep breathes, as he watched the steady rise and fall of her chest.

The only problem now....

How was he gonna get her home?

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